tacitly and grew to resent her natural abilities。 I felt it necessary to shatter her shadow with achievements of my own。 As a result； we seldom spoke。 I sought opportunities to criticize her and relished surpassing2 her acevements。 Her diary lay at my feet； and I didn’t think of the result of opening it。 I considered not her privacy； the morality of my actions； nor her consequential pain。 I merely savored the possibility of digging up enough dirt to soil my petitor’s spotless record。 I reasoned my iniquity as sisterly duty。 It was my responsibility to keep a check on her activities。 It would be wrong of me not to。
爱要了解（2）
I tentatively plucked the book from the floor and opened it； fanning through the pages； searching for my name； convinced that I would discover scheming and slander。 As I read； the blood ran from my face。 It was worse than I suspected。 I felt faint and slouched3 to the floor。 There was neither conspiracy nor defamation。 There was a succinct description of herself； her goals and her dreams followed by a short portrayal 4 of the person who has inspired her most。 I started to cry。
I was her hero。 She admired me for my personality； my achievements and；ironically； my integrity。 She wanted to be like me。 She had been watching me for years； quietly marveling over my choices and actions。 I ceased reading； struck with the crime I had mitted。 I had expended so much energy into pushing her away that I had missed out on her。
I had wasted years resenting someone capable of magic—and now I had violated her trust。 It was I who had lost something beautiful； and it was 1 who would never allow myself to do such a thing again。
Reading the earnest words my sister had written seemed to melt an icy barrier around my heart； and I longed to know her again。 I was finally able to put aside5 the petty insecurity that kept me from her。 On that fateful afternoon； as I put aside the laundry and rose to my feet； I decided to go to her—this time to experience instead of to judge； to embrace instead of to fight。 After all； she was my sister。
永相厮守（1）
唐·塞贝特
我和迈克尔几乎没有注意到女服务员走了过来，把盘子放在我们的桌上。我们坐在一家小餐馆里，抛开了纽约市第三街区的喧闹。即使是新端上来的薄饼的香味，也不能打断我们兴奋的、忘我的交谈。事实上，薄饼已经在酸奶酪里泡了好一会儿了。我们聊得太投入，有些乐不思食了。
如果说我们的交流算不上深刻，但一定是生动的。我们笑谈着前天晚上看过的电影，讨论着刚刚结束的文学探讨课上所讲到的课文含义。迈克尔采用将名字变成“迈克尔”，并且拒绝应答“迈克”这个名字的方法来显示自己的成熟，他向我讲述着与这样步入成熟的方法相关故事。那时他是12岁还是14岁？迈克尔记不清了，不过他的确还记得妈妈哭了，并说他成长得太快了。当我们开始吃蓝莓薄饼时，我给他讲了去乡下看望表姐妹们时，和姐姐摘蓝莓的事。我还记得，我总是在返回到家之前就把蓝莓吃光了，姨妈警告我说我的胃会疼痛难忍。当然，我的胃根本没痛。
我们继续愉快地交谈着，我环视了一下餐馆，目光停在墙角处的一张小餐桌上，一对老年夫妇坐在那里。老妇人身上的印花裙子褪了色，就像放在她那过时的手提包上的椅垫一样破旧。老爷子头顶的头发都掉光了，就像他正在慢慢吃着的鸡蛋一样光亮。老妇人也在慢慢地喝着她的麦片粥，整个吃饭的过程近乎乏味。
然而，正是他们旁若无人的静默引起了我的注意。在我看来，有一种忧郁的情绪喷发出来，笼罩了他们所在的角落。当我与迈克尔的交流从欢笑变成低语，从表白到评论时，这对老夫妇的极端沉默还在吸引着我。我想：多么可悲啊，再也无话可说了。难道彼此之间再没有一页没有翻阅过的故事吗？如果换作我们将会怎样？
我和迈克尔买了单，起身离开饭店。但我们走过那对老夫妇坐的角落时，我竟不小心把钱包掉在了地上。当弯腰去捡起它时，我看到桌子下面他们空着的那两只手正温柔地握在一起。他们的手一直握在一起！
我站起身，在这样朴素却深沉的情感举动面前，我觉得自己很卑微，能亲眼目睹已是极大的荣幸了。老人对妻子疲惫的手指的轻轻爱抚，不仅填补了我之前察觉到的所有的冷漠空间，也填满了我的心。他们的静默并不是令人难以忍受的，不像第一次约会时，讲完一句妙语或一段轶事后的那种令人害怕的沉默。正好相反，他们的静默是舒服的、惬意的，是无需言语来表达的温柔的爱。或许，他们采用这种方式来共享清晨的这段时光已经很久了，或许今天同昨天没有什么不同，只是他们平和地对待时光、对待彼此。
当我和迈克尔走出来时，我还在想：如果有一天我们也能像他们这样，也挺好的。或许，这也是一种美。
A Gentle Caress
Don Sibet
Michael and I hardly noticed when the waitress came and placed the plates on our table。 We were seated in a small deli tucked away from the bustle of Third Street； in New York City。 Even the smell of our recently arrived blintzes was no challenge to our excited chatter。 In fact，the blintzes remained slumped in their sour cream for quite some time。 We were eaioying ourselves too much to eat。
Our exchange was lively，if not profound。 We laughed about the movie that we had seen the night before and disagreed about the meaning behind the text we had just finished for our literature seminat。 He told me about the moment when he had taken the drastic step into maturitr by being Michael and refusing to respond to “Mikey”。 Had he been twelve or fourteen？ He couldn’t remember，but he did recall that his mother had cried and said he was growing up too quickly。 As we bit into our blueberry blintzes； I told him about the blueberries that my sister and I used to pick when we went to visit our cousins in the country。 I recalled that I always finished mine before we got back to the house； and my aunt would warn me that I was going to get a very bad stomachache。 Of course； I never did。 txt小说上传分享
永相厮守（2）
As our sweet conversation continued，my eyes glanced across the restaurant，stopping at the small corner booth where an elderly couple sat。 Her floral…print dress seemed as faded as the cushion on which she had rested her worn handbag。 The top of his head was as shiny as the soft…boiled egg on which he very slowly nibbled。 She also ate her oatmeal at a slow； almost tedious pace。
But what drew my thoughts to them was their undisturbed silence。 It seemed to me that a melancholy emptiness permeated their little corner。 As the exchange between Michael and me fluctuated from laughs to whispers； confessions to assessments，this couple’s poignant stillness called to me。 How sad，I thought，not to have anything left to say。 Wasn’t there any page that they hadn’t yet turned in each other’s stories？ What if that happened to us？
Michael and I paid our small tab and got up to leave the restaurant。 As we walked by the corner where the old couple sat，I accidentally dropped my wallet。 Bending over to pick it up，I noticed that under the table，each of their free hands was gently cradled in the other’s。 They had been holding hands all this time！
I stood up and felt humbled by the simple yet profound act of connection I had just been privileged to witness。 This man’s gentle caress of his wife’s tired fingers filled not only what I had previously perceived as all emotionally empty corner，but also my heart。 Theirs was not the unfortable silence whose threat one always feels just behind the punch line or at the end of an anecdote on a first date。 No，theirs was a fortable，relaxed ease，a gentle love that knew it did not always need words to express itself。 They had probably shared this hour of the morning with each other for a long time。 and maybe today wasn’t that different from yesterday，but they were at peace with that； and with each other。
Maybe； I thought as Michael and I walked out，it wouldn’t be so bad if someday that was us。 Maybe，it would be kind of nice。
父亲给儿子的一封信
佚名
亲爱的孩子：
当你看到我的衰老，昔日的强壮不在之时，请耐心地努力去了解我……
如果我吃东西时弄得一团糟……如果我无法穿戴整齐……请耐心点。你要记得，我教你做这些事情时曾花费了多少时间。
如果，当我对你说话时，总是成百上千次地重复相同的事情……请不要打断我……请耐心地听我说……
在你很小的时候，我必须成百上千次地重复讲同一个故事给你听，直到你入睡……
当我不想淋浴时，不要羞辱我，也不要斥责我……你要记得，我曾编造了上千条理由，只是为了让你洗澡……
当你看到我在新技术方面愚笨无知时，给我一些必要的时间，不要带着嘲讽的笑意看着我……我曾教导你如何去做很多事情……吃好，穿好……面对生活……
当我在交谈中偶尔忘记了内容，或者思路不清……让我有一些必要的时间回忆……如果我不能想起，请不要不安……因为最重要的不是我的谈话，而是有你相伴，有你倾听我……
如果我有时不想吃东西，不要强迫我，我清楚自己什么时候需要食物，什么时候不需要。
当我衰老的双腿无法行走……伸出你的手……在你迈出人生的第一步时，我也曾同样这样帮你。
还有，当我有一天告诉你，我不想再活了……想随风而逝时，不要生气……终有一日，你会明白……设法去了解，像我这样的年纪，不过是苟延残喘。
总有一天，你会发现，尽管我有许多过错，但我总想给你最好的，并总是设法为你铺好道路……
看到我靠近你时，一定不要感到伤心、生气或无奈，你一定要站在我的身边，设法理解我、帮助我，就像在你刚开始生活时我所做的那样。扶着我行走……用爱和耐心帮助我走完人生……我会用微笑和始终给你的宽广的爱来回报你。
我爱你，孩子……
你的父亲
Dear Son
Anonymous
Dear son；
The day that you see me old and I am already not； have patience and try to understand me。。。
If I get dirty when eating。。。 if I can not dress。。。 have patience。 Remember the hours I spent teaching it to you。
If； when I speak to you； I repeat the same things thousand and one times。。。 do not interrupt1 me。。。 listen to me
When you were small； I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story until you get to sleep。。。
When I do not want to have a shower， neither shame me nor scold me。。。 Remember when I had to chase2 you with thousand excuses I invented； in order that you wanted to bath。。。
When you see my ignorance on new technologies。。。 give me the necessary time and not look at me with your mocking3 smile。。。 I taught you how to do so many things。。。to eat good； to dress well。。。 to confront life。。。
When at some moment I lose the memory or the thread ofour conversation。。。 let me have the necessary time to remember。。。 and if I cannot do it； do not bee nervous。。。 as the most important thing is not my conversation but surely to be with you and to have you listening to me。。。
If ever I do not want to eat； do not force me。 I know well when I need to and when not。
When my tired legs do not allow me walk。。。 give me your hand。。。 the same way I did when you gave your first ste